The described embodiments relate to techniques for communicating information among electronic devices, including synchronizing radio nodes in an indoor wireless network.

Many electronic devices are capable of wirelessly communicating with other electronic devices. For example, these electronic devices can include a networking subsystem that implements a network interface for: a cellular network (UMTS, LTE, etc.), a wireless local area network (e.g., a wireless network such as described in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard or Bluetooth from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group of Kirkland, Wash.), and/or another type of wireless network.

While many electronic devices communicate with each other via large networks owned by a network operator, it is often difficult to communicate via a cellular-telephone network, e.g., in indoor environments. In particular, in indoor environments the network performance (such as the block error rate and the capacity) of the cellular-telephone network can be degraded or not available at all. Moreover, there are often constraints on the number of base stations (and associated cell towers) that implement so-called ‘macrocells’ in a cellular-telephone network. Consequently, it can be difficult for the operator of the cellular-telephone network to improve the quality of their service e.g., in indoor environments.